Re: Contractors of Questionable Ability and making the leap

[Melissa Fisher <mfisher -at- MOBSEC -dot- COM>]

> [sorry to re-send this...it ran away from me before I was finished!]
>
> Sella Rush asks...
>         How do others see their transition from captive to contract?
>
> I just recently (2 months ago) made the transition from captive to
> contract, at the fairly young technical writer age of 3 years.  I know
> there are a lot of things I don't know, and a lot of different types
> of
> experience I don't have...but I don't think that disqualifies me from
> doing some contract work or from doing a good job.  I don't think that
> being in "apprentice" mode and doing contract work is mutually
> exclusive...in fact one of the reasons I left my "captive" job was to
> gain experience in areas that were not available to me at that
> company.
>
> The main issue is to not oversell yourself to your employer. I don't
> claim to have experience I don't have, nor do I try to sell myself
> into
> a position I know I'm not qualified for...whether it's contract or
> permanent work.  As a matter of fact, I did not go looking for a
> contract - I went looking for another job, and whether it was a
> permanent or contract position was immaterial to me.
> Consulting...that's something that I feel I need many more years of
> experience in before I could attempt it.
>
> I have a problem with people in any profession who are "in it for the
> money"  and (whether rightly or wrongly) I always tend to question
> their commitment to doing a good job.  I feel VERY fortunate to be in
> a profession where I can make a good living...but having spent a few
> years in a job I HATED, I think I'd still be tech writing if my pay
> were 1/3 what it is now.  It's much more important to me to enjoy what
> I do (and therefore take pride in doing a good job) than to make some
> quick bucks.
>
> Melissa Fisher
> mfisher -at- mobsec -dot- com
>
>